Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1887-03-24
Helen's Surrender.


STORY. RY 4. n. rU,YrR.
Heleh weston was ielt an orphan a'
twenty-five. with crippled brother I"
support and mortgaSed iarin. whlch she
was determined To rcllcFc OF H. no hef
lntolerable incubus. " omen hate mort
cages, Dut men cry tor theih' a. me
babies once dld Tor soothilS syrup. BE
sides her brother and her farm Helen had
lovers, several OF them. mostly cultlNator>
of the neighhoring soil and clerks in the
village stores They were ali very ANXIOUS
to pay the specified mortgage, and allow
Helen to live at ease, they SAID. But She
knew what Living at ease meant for
farmers wife, and declared repeatedly that
such tate should never be hers still a
they saw many girls marry the very oppo-
site OF their proies>cd Ideas. these aNscNer-
ations. emphatic a they always were. did
not alarm the lovers very much. II was
young lawyer from neighboring city who
troubled them great deal more Hand
some. dashing, and eloquent, they ieit
themselves at great disadvantage III hi~
society. ana wondered what that city lei
low was coming there continually Tor.
Helen knew, and although fully apprccia-
ting his superior attractions. she turned
deaf ear to his unceasing entreatic> that
She would sell the farm and marry him,
Her brother would always live with them,
he urged. and what was the use of her
toiling and shaving 10 pay OF that mort
gag:
Il was strange that Helen could resist his
tender arguments for he pleaded with all
the snphistry OF lawyer and tenderness
Of one who loves, but she was certainly
very obstinate and determined Young
woman She meant 10 let people see that
she could take care of herself without the
help of any man. She would not even
consult her brother, and everything should
20 on exactly as it had done under her
fathers active supervision Al the cio>o
of every month she took the money She
had made to the mortgagee' VIII" hvcd
several miles away. and who allowed her
TO pay him just how ana When she pleased
But Herbert Dexter, the young CITY law
yer. did not IKE II at all
1t Is not safe he declared one DAY
for you to take that drive alone Il i
lonely road. and you are likely - meet
tramps at any moment
Ny horse Is very last one, she re-
Piled, and you must ADMIT 'hat Aho"
how TO manage him.
Yes, but ii would be an easy matter Tor
a man to seize your morse anu aIi"" MN
no chance To show his speed. II i known
Reed, and taking the money +" him your
self. Some desperate scamp Will waylay
you yet can hardly sleep at night think
ing about II.
Then you are very foolish to lose your
healthy sleep worrying without any cause
whatever. DO remember that am TWEEN
ty-two years Old not emit OF sixteen
Il shall bring you revolver and show
you how to load and fire 1t
ION, Heroert' uoh l. peS OF you. II
would frighten me more than twenty
tramps. do not dare touch one ana a.
for hrlng II on the very ldea OF such
thing makes me feel faint
Paint at the mere ldea OF hring on a
pistol, And vet you make grandlioquent
speeches about taking care OF yourself
without the help OF any man \ beautiful
instance of feminine consistency
Il never made grandlloquent speech III
my life; and If you are gong to be sarcaN-
tic and disagreeable, Herbert Dexter,
shall stay on this blessed farm until my
hair is white, and convocation of con-
ceited lawyers VIII not make me chahSe
nv mind"
Don't be offended, Helen when ycu
know how anxious l feel about you
Won't you promise that you Will learn to
load and fire the revolver!
eli, IL IL win ehhpie '"u ~ 7A'NP
again at night, OF course promise H.
Consequently, upon his next visit he
brought pistol, so ferocious i'll aspect
that it made Helen shudder inwardly with
fear and horror. She was ashamed how
ever, to betray any such feminine weak
ness, and SO exerted herself heroically to
maintain an appearance OF perfect seren-
ity. But when he incidentally pointed the
weapon directly at her, that was little too
much.
"Oh, Herbert" she shrieked, do not
hold the mouth-lips-whatd do you call it
toward me ii
Mouth, lips. DO say muzzle, Helen,
he exclaimed in disgust.
'Muzzle, then But what difference does
il make?"
"Supposing any one should tell you to
shut your muzzle, what would you think!
1t is just as preposterous to speak OF the
lips of the pistol
How absurd you are, Herbert Are you
going to load it with anything:'
'Of course am: What would be the
use of 1t otherwise'
Il feel so much more comfortable when
l know there Is nothing horrloiv explosive
In the thihg. won IL 20 Oh II 70" ioa'
it!'
Not until you hre IT,
The poor girl felt very much as II she
were about to undergo some painful oper,
atio', and absolutely shook WIN iear anu
nervousness when ne hahded her !he teprl-